The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-30
THE DYNAMITE GUN.
Successful Experiments with the New En-
CINE of Destruction.

Successful Experiments with the New En-
CINE of Destruction.
New York Special.
If any of Sir John Macdonald's fishing cruisers
had heen down in Gravesend bay Saturday af
ternoon the chances that they would have
made as much haste to seek the open ocean as
did small, two-masted schooner that made
tracks" for the point of the Hook about 8 O'Clock.
Lieutenant Zalinski had just dropped loaded
dynamite shell over her bows. There was
fifty pound charge of the explosive In the shell.
and il it had struck anywhere near the schooner
there would not have been enough fotsam to
send row boat after.
Among the spectators Of the experiment were:
Commander O'Niel, ordnance officer of the navy
yard; Commander Wild of the Dolphin, and
many sub-offcers from the Atlanta General
Schofsld. General Whipple, General Burns,
Captain Whipple, Lieutenant Sawyer, Colonel
Hamilton, Major Randolph, Major Sanger, Ma
jor Curtis, President Schuyler, of the Dynam-
lite Gun Company; Mr.. Horace See, of Cramp &
Sons. who are building the new dynamite
cruiser; Colonel Logan H. Roots, of Little Rock;
George W. Reynolds, R. w. Daniels, of Buffalo;
William Il. Carr, Richard Kingman. NJ. B.
Bryant and ex- President Pierield, of the Pro
dnce Exchange. and party of engineers from
Willet.s Point
If anybody wants to fool with fifty pounds of
real live dynamite let HIM insure his life and
60 down and grapple for oysters about four
hundred yards off Conev Island Point, in Grave
send bay. This is suggested as an easy way of
saving the expenses of funeral. The last charge
didn't Ego off," and is consequently there yet,
just where it dropped almost from the clouds.
Haste must be made as the Lieutenant will
likely feel for it himself to-day or tomorrow.
The other three shells were fired satisfactorily.
The first was six feet ten inches long, weighed
IA pounds and held fifty pounds of explosive
gelatine. Lieutenant Zalinskl adjusted the
primer of the battery SO that the load would be
fred about when the projectile touched bottom.
Major Randolph assumed the role Of amateur
photographer and set up his dry plate machine
where he could take picture of the scene just
as the projectile issued from the mouth of the
barrel. Colonel Hamilton held the official time
piece
"Readyw
Everybody got around the corner of the stone
fort-"where they could see better"
The lieutenant pushed cd q lever fastened to
half circle The air-compressed to 1900
pounds per inch-could be heard sizzling into
the barrel; then he pulled the lever down. That
there was mighty ''pop" and cloud of vapor
like log followed the long shell as it came out
of the gun and went screechng away on its
course. aud those with sharp eyes followed it
until SO seconds later splash in the water a
mile and aQuarter away showed where it struck.
The water there is sixty feet deep. In an in
slant the water boiled and heaved; then o huge
black mound of mud rose above the surface and
settled back again into the uneasy bosom of the
bay.
The second shot was like the first. The third
projecte fred at an elevation of thirty two
degrees. It's tail" broke and it gyrated until
the surface was reached There it ricochsted,
but agreeable to the plan laid down for it, the
charge exploded at the surface. and beautiful
white column Of water rose high in the air. The
wind blew its top off into spray, and the sun,
low in the heavens pierced it, making a rain
bow beyond. The cheers of the throng followed
this shot
The last was a splendid one The projectile
whizzed up into space far that the best trained
eve lost it. Half a minute after it was seen tG
splash into the water two and alt miles away.
| Its limit of action passed in silence Genera
Schofield Remarked
Il guess it was set so low that it got tired"